A September in Auckland

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The agency - Intern - organised a meal out in the week and about 40 people turned up! So had a chance to meet a few of the new group which had just arrived. Had my first curry in New Zealand :p then we went out after for a few drinks (cheap Wednesday prices!)

At work, a new intern (German guy) started in the Marketing department so Kim (my boss) took us all out for drinks after work, which was really nice as I got to see some more swanky places in the city and got an education in NZ white wine.........

The week after I was out for another meal with people from work. Tarsha took me and Tim out for steak! The first steakhouse in Auckland apparently and the food went down very well!

On the weekend Intern organised a free bus tour and harbour bridge walk (which is usually around $100). The bus just drove us around a few places in Auckland, most of which I had seen already but it was a really good laugh as we had this crazy Kiwi guide. He was retiring after several years with the company, and was handing out loads of free stuff and discounts. At the start someone won a free Sky Tower jump. Later, we stopped at a beach and it was quite a wet/windy day, so the guy said first person to get into the sea wins a $1000 holiday.................At first it didn’t seem like anyone believed him but after a couple of minutes one of the Dutch guys went for it, and he won the holiday! Later at Mt Eden (volcanic peak), he offered another $1000 holiday for any of the girls to run around the crater in their underwear............someone stepped up again! So by now I was regretting not jumping in the sea as these free holidays seemed genuine!!

As the weather was so bad, they cancelled the Harbour Bridge walk for another time. In the afternoon the guide took us back to a hostel bar where we had 2 for 1 drinks all evening. By 9pm, the tour guide was hammered and challenged anyone to beat him at pool, for another $1000 holiday! So this time I was straight in there and got a game with him...................I’d also been drinking for a few hours but this guy was hammered so I thought I should be able to do him. It was quite a close game, and we both got onto the black.............I purposely hit the ball short of it as it was on the cushion and he claimed that as I didn’t hit it, I automatically lose the game!!! So this led to a big disagreement and after half an hour of arguing we agreed to rack them up for another game.

So, take 2, and.......well.......... I lost!! Both on the black again! My poor pool skills cost me a $1000 trip!!
We had planned to go on another ski trip in September but unfortunately had to cancel as a massive storm came in and both mountains were closed! Hoping to try again in October. Initially I hadn’t planned much in September because of the cost of the ski trip so ended spending the whole month in Auckland!

My Dutch flatmate Wouter has left and currently there is no one booked in to take the room yet, so I’m eagerly awaiting a new roommate and as 80% of the people in the building are Asian, I’m hoping for someone with a more similar culture!

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